Post by Soha S.

For International Women’s Day, I had the opportunity to help organize and moderate a panel discussion on women’s leadership in preventing and countering violent extremism with the NATO Association of Canada. The discussion highlighted an important reality: women are not only disproportionately affected by conflict and violent extremism, but they are also critical actors in prevention, resilience, and long-term peacebuilding. As geopolitical tensions and conflicts continue to evolve globally, ensuring women’s participation in prevention and security efforts remains essential. Many thanks to my co-moderator Selina Khan, and Muskaan Waraich for their work in bringing this event together, and to NATO Association of Canada for hosting such an important conversation. We were honoured to hear from Dr. Cecile Rousseau, whose research at McGill University explores migration, trauma, and radicalization, offering key insights into the social dimensions of violent extremism. We also heard from Dr. Ardath Whynacht, who examined how gender dynamics shape pathways into and out of extremist movements. The conversation was introduced by Director Indira Naidoo-Harris, whose thoughtful opening remarks set the stage for a timely discussion on gender, security, and the evolving global challenges shaping today’s security landscape. Thank you to our speakers and to everyone who joined us for such an engaging and important discussion. #InternationalWomensDay #WomenPeaceSecurity #PVE #NATO #SecurityStudies